One Thing
by mysticalweather
Summary: Daniel ends up in an unexpected place. Two old friends come and comfort him.


As per usual, I've associated a song with my fanfic. This one is "One Thing" by Finger Eleven. It's obviously not mine, but you knew that, right?

Stargate isn't mine either. If it was, I wouldn't have to write all these stories because Janet would still be alive! But, alas, it is up to my imagination to bring her back.

Just so you know, this was my very first attempt at writing a fanfic. If you like it, I'd be thrilled to hear from you! Just drop me a line, I'd appreciate it.

* * *

Finger Eleven's One Thing  
Restless tonight  
Cause I wasted the light  
Between both these times  
I drew a really thin line

It's nothing I planned  
And not that I can  
But you should be mine  
Across that line

If I traded it all  
If I gave it all away for one thing  
Just for one thing

If I sorted it out  
If I knew all about this one thing  
Wouldn't that be something?

I promise I might  
Not walk on by  
Maybe next time  
But not this time

Even though I know  
I don't want to know  
Yeah I guess I know  
I just hate how it sounds

If I traded it all  
If I gave it all away for one thing  
Just for one thing  
  
If I sorted it out  
If I knew all about this one thing  
Wouldn't that be something?

* * *

'Just another day at the SGC' Daniel thought to himself as he climbed into his car to head home.

He hated times like these. Usually work kept him busy non-stop...meeting new cultures, translating ancient texts, and cataloging various artifacts – to say nothing of fighting the Goa'uld. However, things had been abnormally quiet lately...no Goa'uld attacks, no tricky off world expeditions, and nothing on which he could focus his mind.

Driving had always been somewhat therapeutic to Daniel. It often gave him a quiet place where he could think without distraction. But, in times like these, he found that his mind would often wonder towards places that he'd rather not go and memories he'd rather not think about.

Since he descension, most of his memories of his life had slowly come back to him – although he suspected that none of them were as vivid in his mind as they'd used to be. Unfortunately, what strong memories he _did_ have were mostly painful ones – the death of his parents, being abandoned by his grandfather, Sha're's abduction and eventual death...just to name a few.

To make matters even worse, the memories he had of his life after his descension weren't much better. For starters, he'd been kidnapped and tortured in Honduras, he nearly drowned on an off-world mission, and then he had the consciousness of 12 other people put in his head.

Not that everything was bad; they had managed to capture Osiris. But the joy he felt after helping save Sarah was short-lived at best. Not long afterwards, while on a mission, he watched helplessly as his dear friend Janet Fraiser died before his very eyes.

'Friend' the word seemed to echo in Daniel's mind, and once again, he found himself wishing he could go back and tell her the things he'd been too afraid to say.

Daniel thought he was doing the right thing at the time. Every woman he'd ever cared for had either ended up as a host of a Goa'uld or dead – or, in Sha're's case, both. That fact aside, how many times had he died himself? He'd feared that telling Janet the truth would inevitably doom one of them to pain.

But his decision backfired. Janet was dead, and the pain he felt at her loss was amplified by the fact that she'd died without ever knowing how much she'd meant to him.

'How many times _have_ I died?' Daniel wondered briefly about his previous thought. Not that it mattered. Janet had saved his life countless times before Oma Desala had helped him to ascend.

Daniel drove faster, trying to leave behind both his thoughts and his guilt. His ascension had allowed him to cheat death, once again. Yet, Janet had never been given that chance.

If anyone deserved the opportunity to live again, it was Janet. She was a humanitarian and a healer. One who dedicated her entire life to helping people. In fact, she'd been killed while saving the life of a badly wounded man. What a cruel irony. She managed to save the injured soldier, but died herself.

Blinking back his tears, Daniel stopped his car in front of a familiar house.

'Something must be wrong with me.' He thought bitterly. He'd missed his turn about eight blocks ago and now he found himself in front of Janet's house. With a sigh, Daniel realized that this was the third time he'd done that this week.

Daniel stared at the house, half wondering if a pretty, petite, ball of fire with chocolate eyes would open the door and invite him in, as she had done so many times before in the course of their seven year friendship.

'Friendship' Daniel thought again. He decided he should leave before the thoughts he'd just been having began to spin around in his mind once again. He was just about to drive away when he noticed a flicker of light coming from inside the house.

A confused look crossed Daniel's face. Cassie, Janet's adopted daughter, was away at college and the house was about to be put up for sale.

'What if it's a burglar?' He quickly decided to check it out, just in case it was some lunatic who'd broken in. Daniel wasn't about to stand by and let someone pilfer through Janet's things.

He exited his car quietly, and snuck around the house to the back door. Daniel tried the doorknob – it was unlocked. Grateful for the basic training he'd taken through the Air Force, he crept quietly into the house.

There was just enough sunlight coming through the windows for him to see inside. He listened carefully for sounds of the intruder. Although he didn't hear anything, his other senses were overloaded.

Cassie obviously hadn't gotten around to packing up the house yet. All around him were pictures of Cassie, Janet, SG-1, and even one of Daniel and Janet dancing at Cassie's graduation party. Those pictures made Janet look so beautiful, so alive.

Daniel choked back a tear as he walked from the living room into the kitchen. On the counter was a teacup with lipstick marks on the side. Next to the cup was a grocery list filled with Janet's distinctive scribbling. And the entire house was filled with the cherry scent that was uniquely 'Janet'. Her fragrance filled Daniel with conflicting emotions – the very scent that used to ease his pain, was now itself a painful reminder that Janet was gone forever.

Fighting the urge to breakdown, Daniel willed himself to stay focused on finding the source of the light that had brought him in here in the first place.

Daniel methodically searched the rooms on the ground floor, but found nothing. Next he headed upstairs. After looking in Cassie's room, the bathroom, and even the linen closet, he was left with only one room – Janet's.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, willing the waves of nervousness he felt to stop. For some reason he couldn't shake the feeling that any second Janet was going to come around the corner and ask him what he was doing. 

Daniel shook his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts and somehow make sense of them. 'Janet's not here' he reminded himself. 'I couldn't save her, just like I couldn't save Sha're.'

In one swift motion he turned the knob and swung her bedroom door inward, hoping to catch whoever was inside off-guard.

Feeling a little foolish, Daniel quickly realized that he was alone. Daniel sighed, half relieved that he'd found nothing unusual in her house, and half worried that he was losing his mind.

'Something must be wrong with me' Daniel thought, for the second time.

Scanning Janet's room again, Daniel noticed Janet's bed. It still looked slightly rumpled from the last time she'd slept there. He smiled...it was as if she'd tried to make her bed in a hurry before rushing to work.

Daniel could feel tears pricking at his eyes as he looked around her room. So much of Janet remained in this room. There were so many little reminders of the woman that had meant so much to him. Everything – from the medical journals lying on her dresser, to the high-heeled shoes she'd kicked off in the corner – made him ache to be near her again.

Feeling emotionally drained, Daniel sat down on the edge of the bed. He closed his eyes, licked his lips, and tried to make sense of it all somehow.

He was _sure_ he'd seen a light coming from the house. But, then again, he had suffered from delusions before...maybe he had some weird alien technology in him again. Or maybe he was suffering from post-traumatic stress. He had witnessed the death of someone who was close to him. Again.

'No, there must be another explanation' he thought. Reopening his eyes, Daniel scanned Janet's room once more.

A small white candle burning by the window caught Daniel's attention. 'That's odd...that definitely wasn't there before.'

He walked over to the window and was about to pick the candle up when a familiar voice from behind him said, "Do not mourn the loss of someone not truly gone."

Daniel spun around and found himself looking at none other than his friend, Oma Desala.

"Oma?! What are you doing here?"

"I have come to give comfort to those who need grieve no longer."

Daniel thought about her words. "You're talking about Janet?"

Oma nodded.

"But she died months ago. I was there when she died, and she didn't ascend."

"If you immediately know the candlelight is fire..."

"Please, Oma," Daniel interrupted. "I'm not in the mood for riddles today."

"Do not give up hope, Daniel. Hope is what guides us along life's path."

"Janet is gone." Daniel replied flatly. "I have no reason for hope."

"As I have told you before, many roads lead to the 'Great Path'. Some roads are smooth and well traveled. Others are longer and take more time to travel upon. Yet, the journeys all have but one conclusion – enlightenment."

"What does that have to do with Janet?"

"You are aware that the Others, like myself, were part of the race called the Ancients?"

"Yes."

"These ones created many marvels – including a particular device that the Goa'uld Telchak kept hidden on earth."

"Yeah...we found it in Honduras, that's where the sarcophagus technology came from...but, that's really neither here or there...um, that device is harmful to humans."

"True, that particular design is not intended for your physiology, however, there is similar technology at our disposal that does not produce those harmful effects."

"Would the Others actually allow you to interfere and use such a technology to help us?"

"Although I am considered an outcast, many of the Others do not entirely disagree with my actions."

"So, they agree with what you do, but don't want to be outcasts themselves?"

Oma nodded.

"So, what you're telling me is that you will give us the technology we need to bring Janet back?"

"Not exactly, Daniel."

"What then?" Daniel asked, clearly getting frustrated.

"It has already been done. I used the technology to raise her life force. Her physical body remains dead, but that matters not. Unlike you, her death was instant. She was not given the time she needed to learn how to release her burden."

"So, you helped her just like you helped the Abydonians?"

"Yes. The technology I used allows me to help those who cannot help themselves. Those whose lives are worth trying to save."

Daniel was slowly processing this information. He was relieved to know that Janet wasn't completely gone...but now he wasn't quite sure how he should feel. What was he supposed to do now? Just move on, knowing she's alive? He wasn't sure he could do that. He still missed her terribly, and the dull ache that had been in his heart ever since her death was still there.

He turned and looked absently out the window. 'Janet must have felt the same way when I ascended.'

"So, where is she now?" Daniel asked, his eyes still fixed on the blackness outside.

"Right here" a soft voice answered.

Daniel spun around to find Janet standing in the spot where Oma had been only moments ago. Daniel blinked rapidly, as if he expected her to disappear at any time. Yet, there was no denying that Janet was there, standing right in front of him.

Janet smiled at him. "I hope you don't mind, Oma had to go."

Daniel's mind raced, trying desperately to come up with the right words to say to her.

"Janet?! I...uh, you...how..." 

"It's okay, Daniel. Please, let me explain. Oma saved me with a device built by the Ancients. I was already dead, so the process took awhile. After that Oma taught me what I needed to know to reach ascension. I'm sorry I wasn't able to contact you sooner, but Oma walked the line to bring me back, so I had to lie low for a while."

By the time she finished speaking, Daniel had recovered from the initial shock of seeing her. "Janet, there are so many things I want to tell you...things that I should have told you a long time ago..."

Janet smiled, "In time, Daniel. But first I need you to do something for me."

"Anything."

"Go downstairs to my desk in the living room. You'll find a letter addressed to you. I want you to read it and wait for me to come back so we can talk."

"Wait, I..."

In an instant Janet was gone. As he sat there alone, part of him began to wonder if he'd imagined the whole thing. 'There's only one way to be sure.'

Daniel got up, found the light switch for the hallway, and made his way down the stairs and into the living room. He quickly walked over to Janet's desk, and opened the top drawer. Sure enough, he found the letter she'd told him about.

He settled down Janet's couch and turned the letter over in his hands. As he looked down at the square paper in his hands, he noticed for the first time that his hands were shaking and the nervousness in his stomach was back with a vengeance.

He realized he was almost afraid to read her letter – as if it was the communication he'd ever have with Janet.

'She promised to come back.' He reminded himself. Taking a deep breath, he finally began to opened the envelope.

* * *

'It really isn't fair of me to do this to him' Janet thought to herself in the moments after she'd disappeared from Daniel's sight.

But how many times had she wished she could be that proverbial 'fly on the wall' so that she'd finally know how he felt?

'This is your only chance' the voice inside her said. So, she told him about the letter, and became invisible so that she could watch as his reaction as he read it.

'Ascension makes you no less nervous' she thought to herself as she watched him sit on the couch and thoughtfully stare at the envelope.

After what felt like an eternity, he opened the letter and began reading to himself. She studied his face as he read. By the time he'd finished reading, Janet noticed that he was swallowing hard and his eyes were brimming with tears.

"If only I'd known sooner" she heard him whisper to himself.

She couldn't stand it anymore. Appearing behind him she asked, "Would that have made any difference?"

* * *

Daniel quickly wiped his eyes as Janet walked around the couch to face him.

"Well?" she prompted.

"Maybe. I'd like to think that I would've told you certain things I'd been holding back. Things I've regretted not telling you."

Sitting beside him on the couch she said, "Well, I'm here now."

Daniel hesitated. 'What if telling her how I feel causes her to sacrifice her life as an ascended being...and what if she regrets it later?'

"Daniel?" Janet's voice began to crack with emotion "Please, tell me. I _need_ to know."

After keeping this from her all this time, he owed her the truth. Now was his chance to confess to her the things he should've told her so long ago.

Daniel took a deep breath and began speaking. "I've spent years of my life studying books, languages, and the written word. And none of it has come close to effecting me the way your letter has."

Daniel looked down at his hands, unable to meet her gaze. "I've wanted to tell you just how much I love you for so long now. But, I was afraid one of us would just end up getting hurt. After you were gone, I realized what a mistake I'd made, but it was too late."

Daniel glanced up and saw the tears in Janet's eyes. Daniel wanted to reach out and hold her so badly, but he knew that was simply impossible.

"That's all I needed to hear you say." Janet whispered as she got up from the couch.

'She's leaving!' Daniel's mind screamed as he watched her stand up and walk out of his line of sight.

Every ounce of him wanted to beg her to stay, but he knew he couldn't do that to her. This was hard enough on Janet as it was, without him trying to make her choose between her old life and her new one.

As he turned to watch her go, he saw a blinding light shine all around her body. Daniel closed his eyes.

"Good-bye, my love" he whispered miserably as the bright light retreated.

When Daniel looked up, he found himself alone once again in Janet's house. Choking back his tears, he grabbed the letter she'd written to him and headed for the back door.

He was about to leave when something stopped him in his tracks.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Daniel whirled around and found himself looking into Janet's pretty face once again.

"Janet?" Daniel said, clearly confused. "I...uh...I thought you left."

Janet smiled. "Nope."

"Well, then what happened?"

"Take a guess." Janet said, grabbing his hand.

The meaning of her action slowly sank in. "You mean you...for me? But you didn't have to..."

"Shhh, come here" she said pulling Daniel into her arms. "I know I didn't have to, but I couldn't help but think of something Colonel O'Neill once said."

Daniel smiled and looked down into her dark eyes, "What's that?"

Janet wrapped her arms around Daniel's neck and pulled him close to her. "The whole ascension thing is highly overrated."

THE END


End file.
